1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a green sugar cane billeting combine and more specifically to a combine or harvester for lifting (righting) recumbent sugar cane gathering, upright sugar cane and, chopping or shredding the immature top portions of the sugar cane, cutting the lower ends from the sugar cane and thereafter simultaneously cutting sugar cane successive stalks into short length billets along cutting zones spaced therealong in which zones leaf portions of the cut cane stalks are also cut to thereby cut majority portions of the leaves from the cane. A conveyor is provided for receiving the cane billets and conveying the cane billets to a discharge point, cut leaf portion separating structure being provided closely upstream from the discharge point of the conveyor for separating cut leaf portions from the cane billets.
2. Description of Related Art
Various different forms of combines and harvesting apparatus including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention heretofore have been provided. Examples of these previously known structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 857,451, 3,434,271, 3,601,957, 3,670,481, 4,924,662, 5,092,110 and my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,174.
However, these previously known combines and harvesters do not include structure specifically adapted to harvest green sugar cane in a manner cutting the tops and bottoms therefrom effecting removal of a large majority of the leaves from the cane and also cleanly cutting the cane into billets, all without dirt contamination of the cane from the ground.